Before I start, I'd like to say that I hope all of you have had, are having or will have an amazing Christmas, Yule, Yalda, Hanukkah, Bodhi, Newtonmas, Hogswatch, or whatever you choose to celebrate. For most of us, New Year is coming up and I wish post titles were optional here, because it's either me lacking originality, or the afternoon coffee I just finished kicking in, but I can not think of a caption that does not make this entry sound like a cheesy recap of 2014, or an excuse for what most parents would call an 'immature decision' (who am I kidding, it's a mixture of both). I'm one of those people who never make New Year's resolutions, and I tend to set my own dates for celebrating my achievements or new beginnings. Hence why, in terms of life events, my 2014 started on the 26th of May, 2013, and ended last October. This was the length of my post-high school gap year. A gap year was one of the first and best life choices I have had to make for myself - it gave me time to find a job relevant to my interests (yeah, better resume), I realised what's important to me in life and what I love doing (I'm not known for being very decisive) and it renewed my motivation and urge to learn. But, best of all, I had the opportunity to see many new and familiar places. Since I'm in a long-distance relationship, most of my resources were spent on one particular UK village, but even then, we tried not to stay in one place. So, to send the astronomical 2014 off, here's a calendar of some of the highlights of 'my own' year:

Spontaneous trip with my dear friend to Vratsa in June, 2013. It was her first time on a train!

Exploring London with my other half in August. It was a weekday and there was a cycling marathon, so we had the city to ourselves.

Later that month, I was admiring a sunset in Pomorie.

Nope, I'm not repeating myself by accident - I just couldn't stay away for long, so we made another trip in October.

And fast-forward to the final picture of 2013, when we spent New Year's eve on a rooftop in the middle of Sofia. I'm cheating - it's not travel for me, but it was for mi amore.

Exploring Amsterdam on my own in February - it definitely shone brighter than when I first saw it.

Me and a friend really wanted to sit on the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones, so we chased it across the country to Veliko Tarnovo in April.

And a bit after that, mine and my other half's favourite bands were on a tour, so we thought we should pop over to Paris to see them. As you do.

Some of you are probably familiar with the rest of it, but anyway - back to Pomorie in July, this time with mi amore again. Even if it's just me in the photo (all of the others were already uploaded).

And finally...

In August, my love introduced me to Wales, his home country, for the first time. And I fell in love.

Have a wonderful time this New Year, and I hope 2015 is unforgettable in all the best ways possible.

☽ Finishing your essays and assignments early and enjoying your free time to the fullest.

☽ How it feels like Grimes songs and Sailor Moon would go perfectly together.

☽ Laced curtains drawing patterns on your bare skin.

☽ Actually throwing glitter on people.

☽ Incense that smells like a forest after rain.

☽ Looking for gifts for someone and finding that one thing 'made' especially for them.

☽ The courage of Hobbits.

I haven't been active in a while, as I was temporarily overpowered by university and work. This is no excuse and I will try to avoid such occasions in the future. For now, I hope this brings some magic into your days, and I hope you guys will share some of your own Little Healing Spells with me - I like to smile too, you know!